Preparing for an interview for a correctional nursing position includes developing honest and thoughtful answers to potential interview questions. If this is your first correctional experience, it may be difficult to know what questions are commonly asked and also difficult to spontaneously respond to unfamiliar areas of questioning. This post is Part II of a three-part series on potential correctional nurse interview questions. Find more posts about interviewing HERE.

Questions about Your Nursing Experiences

Questions about your nursing experiences are a part of any position interview, no matter the specialty. They are included here to help you prepare for a well-rounded interview. Focus on the relationship of your experience as they might relate to the unique setting and patient population of correctional health care.

You have 60 seconds, tell me about yourself.

The interviewer is looking for a self-appraisal as a nurse so limit your hobbies and interests here unless they might give insight to your values or motivation. For example, if you volunteer at a homeless shelter, that might be of interest. Otherwise, prepare a short response to a question like this that focuses on honest positives about yourself that fit the role of a correctional nurse (based on information from this book).

Name a specific time you knew you were in over your head with a patient, what you did about it, and what you learned from the experience.

You are likely to be in over your head at some point in your correctional practice. The interviewer wants to hear that you remained level-headed and made wise decisions about how to solve the situation. Think back on your nursing career for a specific example and emphasize how you initiated action, sought out assistance, and kept the patient safe. Be sure to include what you learned from the experience. It can be a confirmation on something you did in the experience. It does not need to be an acknowledgement that you didn’t do something you should have.

Name a specific time you had difficulty with a patient’s behavior, how you handled it, and what you learned from the situation.

Correctional health care is full of patients with anger management issues and poor behavior control. The interviewer wants to know that you can deal with difficult patient behavior. Like the prior question, prepare a response that describes an actual patient experience you had and how you managed it. It doesn’t need to be a complicated situation. Something as simple as a patient being upset that his pain medication was delayed will work.

Name a specific example of a time you were reprimanded at work, how you handled it and what you learned.

Here the interviewer wants to know that you are willing to take corrective feedback and use it to improve your nursing practice. If you have never been reprimanded at work, state this and, instead, share a story of when you received a constructive critique during a performance review or critical incident. Emphasize your desire to excel in nursing practice and that you thoughtfully consider all feedback in order to make improvements in future practice.

Give a specific example of a time you had multiple things to do, all at the same time. How did you prioritize your tasks and what you learn?

This is a common example question for all nursing positions. Correctional nursing requires prioritizing and re-prioritizing activities throughout the shift. Develop a good example of how you did that in a difficult situation. Things to include might be pausing to re-evaluate the situation, considering the most important actions to take immediately based on patient acuity and safety, and seeking out opportunities for delegation.

If you were up against someone with the same level of education and experience for this position, tell me why I should hire you over someone else?

When compared equally to another applicant on education and experience, your advantage can lie in your motivation, values, and even flexibility. For example, you may have a desire to work with a disadvantaged or behaviorally challenging patient population. Although you may have the same years of experience as another applicant, your experience might be better suited to the correctional setting and patient population. You may be able to say that you are a flexible worker and willing to work a variety of shifts or positions. Develop a list of ways you are more than your education and experience so you can answer a question like this one.

What would your current supervisor say if we asked what your strengths and weaknesses were?

This can be a challenging question to answer; especially if you and your current supervisor do not see things in the same way. That is why it is good to be prepared for this question and answer it confidently. There are multiple perspectives on a situation and you want to present the most positive perspective on your strengths and weaknesses. Do you have philosophical differences with your supervisor? That can mean that you are guided by your values, determined, and forthright. Have you been reprimanded by your supervisor? If so, consider how you responded to the critique. Can you say that you take constructive criticism well? Be sure to have a response that includes both strengths and weaknesses as the interviewer is likely to probe further if you do not offer both.

Explain a situation when you were forced to make a decision that no one else agreed with?

Correctional nurses can sometimes be in a situation where there is a need to make a decision that no once else agrees with. It could be an urgent need for the patient to be transported to the hospital or it could be the need to address an emerging ethical issue. The interviewer wants to know that you will be able to overcome obstacles in order to get the care needed for the patient, even if no one else agrees with you. Ponder situations in your past experience where you needed to persuade others of the right course of action and develop a list of actions you took to accomplish your objective.

What questions have you been asked during a correctional nurse position interview? Share your experiences in the comment section of this post.

The American Nurses Association (ANA) designated 2015 as the Year of Ethics for American nurses. I have personally designated 2016 as the Year of Ethics for Correctional Nurses. This year I will be blogging regularly about the Code as I write a book to help correctional nurses apply the Code of Ethics in our challenging setting. Read all posts about the Code of Ethics here.

Jim was an emergency trauma nurse before he started in a minimum security prison a week ago. This morning he is assigned to respond to man-down emergencies along with his mentor, a registered nurse with 8 years of experience at the facility. Sure enough, a man-down is called early in the shift and they head out to the yard with the emergency backpack and a stretcher. When they arrive Jim sees officers lining up inmates along the fence and two men on the ground. He starts into the yard to assess and treat the injured but his mentor holds him back. “We have to wait until the ‘All Clear’ is called before we can go in”, she told him. Jim is in moral distress as he waits for clearance. Isn’t his responsibility to treat those patients as soon as possible? What if they stop breathing or bleed out while he stands by?

One of the earliest principles nurses learn when starting in correctional health care practice is that of ‘Safety First’. Unlike other settings, a correctional facility holds personal danger that must be considered at all times. Although the Code of Ethics for Nurses is patient-centered, since 2001, the Code has included an explicit statement about a nurse’s duty to self. Provision 5 states:

The nurse owes the same duties to self as to others, including the responsiiblity to promote health and safety, preserve wholeness of character and integrity, maintain competence, and continue personal and professional growth.

Although the provision is unchanged in the 2015 revision to the Code, our duty to self is more fully explained in the interpretive statements of the newest version. Here are the key areas of expanded information.

Nurses are Persons of Worth and Dignity

Nursing is intensively other-focused. It is easy to lose sight of our need to preserve our own self-identity as a person of worth and dignity. In order to most effectively care for others, we must attend to our own psychological and emotional well-being. For correctional nurses, this can mean being aware of personal boundaries with patients; guarding against secondary traumatization and compassion fatigue; and avoiding unhealthy work relationships.

Personal Health, Safety, and Well-Being is an Ethical Mandate

Physical safety is as ethically important as psychological and emotional safety in nursing practice. Nurses in all settings routinely pause to don protective gear or await lifting equipment to prevent physical injury. These same moral principles apply in a situation where correctional nurses must await an indication from officers that an emergency scene is secure before initiating care.

Conscientious Objection to Remain Whole

The new Code expands and further articulates the need for preservation of moral integrity by describing the concept of conscientious objection as a refusal to participate in morally distressing activities. This could include actions that jeopardize a specific patient, family, community or population. Conscientious objection may be necessary when nurses are asked to take part in morally problematic activities such as force-feeding prisoners on hunger strike or participating in the collection of forensic evidence. Deeper discussion of this concept in the Code provides nurses with a better understanding of how to preserve their moral integrity in the face of a clinical situation for which they have strong moral grounds for objection.

Personal Growth is More than Professional Growth

A refreshing addition to the interpretive statement for Provision 5 is the addition of continuation of personal growth. Professional growth has always been a moral requirement for nurses since advances in healthcare and the changing work environment make continuing professional development a necessity. The new Code encourages nurses to grow personally through life-long learning, reading broadly, pursuing leisure and recreational activities, and engaging in civic activities and social advocacy. A well-rounded nurse is more able to meet the continuing stresses of professional life.

The unique patient population and unusual practice environment of correctional nursing calls for specialized interpretation and application of the Code for Nurses. Jim needs to reflect on the Code as it relates to practice in the criminal justice system. A thoughtful review of Provision 5 will help him come to terms with the necessary personal safety perspective needed in a secure setting. Discussion of the man-down situation and applicable ethical principles with his mentor might also generate meaningful dialog among nursing team members.

Do you think self-care is an important ethical principle for correctional nurses? Share your thoughts in the comments section of this post.

Inmate grievances are a standard mechanism for prisoners to request changes and express discontent with a variety of conditions of confinement such as housing, officer treatment, and inadequate medical care. Although many in correctional health care see the grievance process as a tedious necessity, inmate medical grievances can be a rich source of information for uncovering system flaws. This patient feedback can actually help improve the quality of your patient outcomes, reduce clinical error, and avoid legal liability. Here are three important ways to use inmate grievances to help provide quality correctional health care.

Fix System Problems

“Last month Doc said I was going for tests about my liver. I haven’t seen my name on the call out list yet. Please help!”

Grievances can sometime unearth major system troubles. A common area of weak systems is the process for outside diagnostic testing. No doubt about it, there is no easy way to get our patients scheduled for a liver biopsy, coordinate officer transport, and the various other arrangements necessary for a successful procedure. The investigation of this grievance revealed that several patient tests had dropped off the log during an extended family leave for the medical unit clerk. Staff turnover can lead to system issues if there are no cross-trained staff to keep processes going. This issue was revealed and resolved through an inmate grievance.

Resolve Staff Issues

“I keep turning in sick call slips but no one will see me in medical. I need some attention right now!”

Sometimes inmate grievances are the result of unreasonable expectations and, after investigation, result in educating the patient about the process of requesting and receiving health care. This request, however, resulted in the discovery that the evening shift nurse, whose post duties included rounding to collect sick call slips, was discarding some slips that she determined were unnecessary to process. Resolving the cause of this grievance may have prevented future patient harm by identifying poor staff behaviors. The immediate result of the investigation was termination of the staff member.

Correct Communication Concerns

“My toe is swollen and infected. I was told I would get better shoes months ago. No one is listening to me.”

This older diabetic inmate rightly needed special foot wear and the state prison system he was in had a good process set up for providing them when necessary. However, the communication between medical and procurement in this particular prison was faulty. Good investigation of this medical grievance revealed the disconnect and initiated a change in communication among facility departments that resulted in faster procurement of medically necessary items such as these shoes.

It can be easy to become tone-deaf to complaints of our patients generated through the inmate grievance process. This is a mistake. Granted, some complaints may be unfounded, but all complaints deserve to be investigated.

To use inmate grievances effectively, a system is needed for investigating grievances, answering them, and tabulating any trends. Here are some tips for a smooth-running grievance process:

Have a designated individual handle all medical grievances. If you are a one-person department, that would be you; however, if more options are available, pick someone who has a genuine interest in patient satisfaction or quality improvement. A single communication point for grievances means relationships can be built among those in the facility most likely to be regularly handling inmate complaints; thus speeding results. This also provides a consistent contact point when addressing issues with the patient population.

Make sure your system is set up to address grievances promptly. Consider grievances like sick call request and turn around a first response in 48-72 hours. A complicated issue may take more time to resolve but you patients should to know they are being heard and that the wheels are in motion.

Categorize grievances related to common quality issues once an investigation of the situation indicates a primary cause. Here are some suggested categories:

o Capacity Issues: Staffing/Supplies

o Communication

o Patient Information/Understanding

o Staff Issues: Knowledge, Accountability, Skill

o System/Process Issues

Tabulate grievance themes in your quality improvement program and investigate trending issues with a formal process or outcome study. Once a trend is seen, a quality improvement study will validate a quality problem and provide baseline data for tracking the outcome of system changes.

Inmate grievances can be a useful source of information about your clinical program. How are you using inmate grievances? Share your experiences in the comments section of this post.

PS – You still have time to get a free downloadable copy of my new ebook – The Correctional Nurse Manifesto – by signing up for my email list. Use this link Hurry! Offer ends July 5!

This post is part of an ongoing series discussing key components of the Correctional Nursing Scope and Standard of Practice, 2nd Ed. Review prior posts in this series here. Purchase your own copy of this highly recommended book through Amazon (affiliate link).

The other day I was trying to explain correctional healthcare to an attorney who was considering taking on a case involving care in a county prison. I was familiar with the facility and told her that although the facility’s name used the word prison, it was really a jail. Thus began an extended conversation about the differences between a prison and a jail and why that might matter to the case and the clinical experts she would want to engage. One of the challenges of correctional nursing advancement is the great diversity of practice settings in which we work.

In an earlier post I discussed the definition of correction nursing, which encompasses the ANA definition of professional nursing tempered by the particular location of the criminal justice system. This location defines our practice being framed by our patient population (discussed here) and our care setting. The care setting is a unique component of correctional nursing and part of our scope of practice.

Where in the Pipeline

Our care location is first defined by where our patients are in the criminal justice process. The two primary areas are jails and prisons but I have also been involved in nursing care consultations that involved courtroom detainment and half-way houses after release. Our correctional patients can also be found in locked hospital units and addiction treatment centers.

Jail – The majority of arrested individuals are brought to a jail. Jail detainees may be awaiting a court hearing, trial, or sentencing. Many jails also hold those sentenced to a term less than one year as transfer into the prison system would not be cost effective and 12 month or less sentences are rarely high security issues. Jail health care, especially in urban areas, involves high concern for drug and alcohol withdrawal. Jails also have higher suicide rates than prisons so this is also a top-of-mind issue in this setting. Jails have a high rate of turnover, with people coming in for short stays before being released or bonded out to await trial. Therefore, it can be difficult to keep track of your patients and manage chronic care issues or diagnostic follow-through.

Prison – Once convicted of a crime and sentenced to longer than 12 months, an inmate is transferred to prison. Depending on the type of crime, this could be a state or federal prison. Each prison system designates intake facilities that evaluate and classify inmates as to security level and, possibly, healthcare requirements. Security classification is primarily determined by violence potential and escape risk, although some systems also house sex offenders or gang members in separate locations. Health requirements can affect classification if the system has a central hospital facility or a working prison such as a farm or industrial site. Prison health care is generally more stable than jail health care as the patient population is less transient.

Mixture – Smaller states combined the jail and prison system. Delaware, Rhode Island and Massachusetts have combined jail and prison systems where both detainees and sentenced inmates reside.

Who is in Charge?

The government entity in charge of the criminal justice setting also changes based on location within the system. For example, most jails are managed the county government, although some large urban jails are managed by city officials. Prisons are managed by the state or federal government. The chief executive of a jail may be a sheriff or a jail administrator who reports to the sheriff while the chief executive for a prison most often holds the title of warden. A jail may have deputies as officers while a prison may use the term custody officer or correctional officer (CO).

Age Matters

Offenders under the age of 18 are usually held in juvenile or youth facilities. Some youth are also held in adult facilities if they have been sentenced for an adult crime.

Picture This

Here is a graphic representation I like to use to help visually describe the primary components of the criminal justice system.

This is a fairly simple explanation of the criminal justice system – the setting of correctional nursing practice. After talking with the attorney, she decided she needed a jail nurse expert for her case. Have you ever tried to describe the criminal justice system to another nurse or care provider? How do you do it? Share your tips in the comments section of this post.

In this monthly round-up of correctional healthcare news Lorry is joined by Sue Smith and Denise Rahaman.

Story #1 Hepatitis C Prevalence and Treatment

Communicable disease makes the news this month with research out of Emory University under the direction of Dr. Ann Spaulding; well–known in correctional circles. Her group found that 17.4% of prisoners are infected with HCV – under earlier estimates of 25%.

This finding is coupled with a second story from USA Today questioning whether prisoners should get expensive Hepatitis C treatment. The cost of treating a single person is $65-170,000 per year using recently developed drug treatment. How do we deal with this ethical dilemma of “treat or not treat”?

Story #2 – Inmates with HIV benefited from treatment in prison

Disease treatment is certainly effective in prisons, as highlighted by our second story out of Infectious Diseases News. Dr. Jaimie Meyer and colleagues from Yale School of Medicine found that the highly structured environment of prison is good for HIV treatment. I think we have all seen that to be true in our own experience, but, would you agree with Dr. Mike Puisis’ response that there is still much more to be done?

Story #3 – New NCCHC Standards Published

Story number 3 is about the much anticipated new accreditation standards from the National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC). Although education about the standards began last fall, they were unveiled for the first time earlier this month at the spring conference in Atlanta. I have mine on order but am already beginning to digest the changes. Facilities are scrambling to review changes and make program alterations accordingly. The implementation date for the 2014 Standards is October 1, 2014.

According to the NCCHC website

Facilities with on-site accreditation surveys scheduled on or before October 1, 2014, will have the choice of being surveyed under the 2008 edition or the 2014 edition of the standards.

Facilities surveyed under the 2008 edition would then be required to submit a plan to meet the 2014 standards by October 1, 2014

Facilities with on-site accreditation surveys scheduled after October 1, 2014 will be surveyed under the 2014 standards.

The Standards Change also affects those sitting for the Certified Correctional Health Professional (CCHP) exam:

Exams conducted before or on October 1 will refer to the 2008 Standards.

Exams conducted after October 1 will refer to the 2014 Standards.

Story #4 – Prison Terminal Documentary on HBO

Our last story is some happy news for our friend and independent film producer Edgar Barens. His film, Prison Terminal: The Last Days of Private Jack Hall, was nominated for an Oscar this past month. It has been airing on HBO and providing a public forum to discuss terminal illness and hospice care behind bars. As a note to our listeners, more information about the video can be found at prisonterminal.com.

There are many articles available, I selected one from Newsweek. In this interview Edgar is quoted as saying “We still owe people like Jack a dignified death”. In many ways, I think that sums up a lot of what correctional nursing is all about – no matter the crimes of an individual – By virtue of their humanity, we owe them respectful care.

Behind the scenes: I’m working on correctional nurse orientation videos that will launch in June. If you or your facility need a low-cost online method to quickly orient staff to the specialty you may want a sneak peek at the product. Email me at correctionalnurse.net@gmail.com to get on the mailing list for the product launch and a link to some previews of the product.

During a jail intake for a homeless man brought in for vagrancy, a nurse sees some tiny insects flying about his clothing and he is scratching at them as she interviews him. She is concerned that an infestation may result and initiates a protocol for lice which involves shampooing and showering with the insecticide permethrin and a special laundering process for all clothing. Was this the right action? How do we do lice identification?

Correctional nurses need to be aware of various infestations as a high percentage of inmates in some locales are prone to head, body, and pubic lice. Once these little hitchhikers enter a facility they can spread by direct physical contact or through sharing of personal items like clothing, bedding, or towels. Was this patient infected with lice? Let’s look at some information about these little critters.

Do lice fly?

Lice remain on a person’s hair or clothing and wander to the skin to blood feed once or more often each day. They have tiny straw-like mouthparts – similar to those of mosquitoes – that they use to suck blood from skin capillaries. They’re unable to burrow into the skin. Lice never develop wings, so they cannot fly. They’re also incapable of jumping. So, this patient did not have lice.

Lice cause itching

Lice may cause an allergic reaction that can cause itching. For head lice, the itching tends to be mild and temporary. Body lice tend to cause far more itching, and even make the infested person feel ‘lousy’. Public lice tend to cause much itching in the affected area. This patient’s itching may be caused by the insect in question but further investigation is needed.

Lice are not very common

Lice are not nearly as prevalent as is generally believed, and other creatures and objects on a person are frequently mistaken for lice. Other insects include fleas, ticks, mites and bedbugs. None of these insects have wings, though. The homeless man in our case may merely have gnats or fruit flies about his person.

Lice are relatively tiny – as small as a poppy seed and as large as a sesame seed. A screener must have good eyesight, be close enough to see the creature, use a magnifying lens, and some expertise to identify lice; distinguishing them from other insects. In fact, other kinds of insects and even bits of debris are frequently mistaken to be lice. As in this case, misdiagnosis and unnecessary treatment can be frequent.

When in doubt – don’t treat

Treating everyone who enters a facility is not a good idea; nor is it cost effective. Treatment focused just on those infested is consistent with sound medical practice. It can also dramatically save time and precious funds; while reducing the risk of lawsuit. The standard medications used in prisons for delousing contain the insecticides permethrin and pyrethrins. These have become less effective as resistance is becoming widespread.

When positive lice identification is confirmed, treatment can be ordered as follows:

Head lice can be treated with one or two 10-minute applications of a pediculicide.

Body lice usually require no treatment to the person. Instead, a person with body lice should bathe and change into prison-issued clothing. The infested clothing should be disinsected by proper laundering, or disposed of. If body lice are detected on the body hairs of a person, a full-body treatment with a pediculicide is needed.

Pubic lice would necessitate treatment to the affected area only.

Ongoing prevention measures for lice include frequent (at least weekly) laundering of clothing and linens, and early recognition and treatment of genuine infestations. The Federal Bureau of Prisons Lice and Scabies Protocol of March 2011 recommends the following actions:

Be sure laundry temperatures are set to at least 130 degrees Fahrenheit to kill lice and their eggs on linens and clothing. Use a hot cycle for drying, as well.

Educate inmates about lice and how to get treatment if they observe lice. The FBOP Protocol includes inmate education handouts that might be helpful.

Inmates should not be transferred to other facilities until 24 hours after initiation of treatment. If moved before the 2nd treatment application (7 days), communication and continuation of treatment should be provided.

How are you managing lice, bedbugs, fleas, and ticks in your facility? Share your thoughts in the comments section of this post.

How has professional nursing practice in the correctional setting changed and evolved over the last decade? When discussing any concept, the first place to start is with a definition. How has the definition of correctional nursing changed over the years?

To start with, the very name of our specialty has moved from corrections nursing to correctional nursing. This name change indicates a movement away from purely defining nursing practice based on location. Similar evolutions have taken place in such specialties as emergency nursing (no longer Emergency Room Nursing) and Perioperative Nursing (no longer Operating Room Nursing).

Definition of Corrections Nursing in 2007

Corrections nursing is the practice of nursing and the delivery of patient care within the unique and distinct environment of the criminal justice system.

As the general definition of nursing has progressed, so has the definition of correctional nursing. This edition of the Correctional Nursing Scope and Standards of Correctional Nursing unveils an expanded definition of correctional nursing which mirrors the 2010 ANA definition of nursing.

Definition of Correctional Nursing in 2013

Correctional nursing is the protection, promotion and optimization of health and abilities, prevention of illness and injury, alleviation of suffering through the diagnosis and treatment of human response, advocacy, and delivery of health care to individuals, families, communities, and populations under the jurisdiction of the criminal justice system.

Nurses practice professionally in every setting. Therefore, the core components of correctional nursing include protecting, promoting, and optimizing the health and abilities of patients. Nurses in all practice settings, including corrections, prevent illness and injury while alleviating suffering. Correctional nurses, as those in other settings, diagnose and treat the human response to illness and injury. They advocate for their patient’s health and deliver health care to individuals, families, communities, and populations.

The location of care – under the jurisdiction of the criminal justice system – does give context to the practice of nursing. The criminal justice system presents the unique environmental constraints and ethical dilemmas of our specialty. In addition, the criminal justice system creates a unique patient population for nursing care. This patient population has demographic characteristics and illness patterns that require specialized nursing knowledge. The combination of environment and patient can lead to specific patient advocacy situations for correctional nurses.

What do you think of the new definition of correctional nursing? Share your thoughts in the comment section of this post.

The full Correctional Nursing Scope and Standards of Practice, 2nd Ed. Is available through amazon.com.

Thank you for being a part of CorrectionalNurse.Net this past year! Your comments and suggestions make this blog a helpful resource for nurses new to the specialty and those interested in keeping abreast of the latest news and information important to working in jails and prisons. In fact, my goal for this blog is:

This blog has been around for more than 4 years now and has over 250 informational posts in a variety of categories. Search by key word using the search field in the upper right or by category using the drop-down menu on the right sidebar.

Here are the six most popular posts in 2013. Check them out if you missed them when they originally aired. Stay tuned for more great information in the year ahead. I hope you visit often and include your views by commenting frequently.

Concern continues for the confidentiality of patient medical information. Correctional nurses must navigate within a security system that often requires the exchange of medical information for safety and good patient care. What medical information can be shared? This post provides information directly from the HIPAA code that specifically addresses the correctional setting.

Women may only constitute 7-12% of the incarcerated population, but their healthcare needs can be great. Maybe increased interest this year can be attributed to the popular Netflix show “Orange is the New Black” – a portrayal of life in a female federal prison.

Correctional nurses take care of an extensive variety of conditions and some that are rare in more traditional settings. Taser injury is one such unusual care situation. This post covers assessing and treating post-taser wounds as well as what conditions render persons at high risk for increased injury from being tased.

Just when you think you are up-to-date something changes. That is life as a practicing nurse. This post adds three new ‘rights’ to the classic 5-rights of medication administration and is actually reposted from the blog of a fellow nurse. A great review!

Many nurses discover this blog while looking for help in preparing for their first interview for a correctional nursing position. This 2-part series shares tips for determining if a correctional setting will be a safe work environment along with questions that may be asked during the interview.

By far, dental issues were the greatest learning curve for me in entering this specialty. This post has some great pictures provided by Dr. Stephen Mitchell and is a big help for nurses who need to know what is routine and what is a possible emergency when dealing with dental conditions.

What was your favorite post of 2013? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Our first story, while not specifically about correctional healthcare has a very real connection for our consideration. A Reuter’s news story reports on a study finding that young low-income diabetics are not attending to their eyes. Our inmate population fits this profile – young, low-income and often diabetic. Are their implications for our patient care here?

Story #3 from the Washington Post lauds the Netflix series ‘Orange is the New Black’ as a fairly accurate portrayal of a women’s prison. Do you think having a program based on a women’s prison might be helpful in raising awareness of incarcerated women and their plight?

Our final news item is the sad report that Mother Antonia Brenner has passed on. She was dubbed the Prison Angel for her work with the poor and imprisoned in Tijuana, Mexico. She has an amazing story. Her prison worked grew from her charity work among the poor in California where she was a twice divorced mother of eight children. Eventually she moved into a cell in the Tijuana Prison to more fully experience the lives of those she served. Hers is an inspiring story of kindness and sacrifice.

What is your take on the December news? Share your thoughts in the comments section of this post.

With my grandson nearly 3 years old, our Christmas this year is full of toys and wonder and a reminder of the Babe long ago who brought hope to the world; whose birth we are celebrating. Christmas is definitely a time for children and a reminder of how many children have parents behind bars in our country. These young victims of their parent’s crimes suffer grave consequences, including separation from their parents during the holiday season.

According to the Bureau of Justice, 1.75 million children have a parent in a state or federal prison this Christmas. Many inmates have multiple children and the Sentencing Project estimates that 1 in every 50 children in this country has a parent behind bars. These are sobering numbers amid the lights and glitter of our holiday celebrating.

Children in this situation may be lonely and feel alienated from the season’s festivities. Even if able, visiting a parent in prison during this time of year can bring more sadness than cheer; emphasizing the obvious separation. Distance and lack of financial resources may make visiting impossible and incarcerated parents may be unable to afford providing even a token gift for a child.

If the incarcerated parent is also the primary care provider, the child may be living in foster care. More fortunate children may have a loving extended family member willing to provide support and supervision during this period. According to an economic study of incarcerated families, children with incarcerated parents are more likely to have difficulty in school with more aggressive behavior noted among boys and an increased chance of being expelled or suspended.

Most of us will not be able to make as great an impact as 2012 Miss America, Lauren Kaeppeler, who is using her platform to bring more attention to the plight of kids of incarcerated parents. Her father was incarcerated when she was a teenager and she has first-hand experience of the effects of a parent behind bars. However, every one of us can do something. Here are just a few of the organizations that are helping our patient’s children cope with the impact of prison on their lives. This Christmas season, consider contributing to one of these charities, or another you may be aware of in your community: